Boot-jack



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. H. W. PARLEY. BOOT JACK No. 418,976. Patented Jan. 7, 1890.

WITNESSES:

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. W. FARLEY. BOOT JACK.

No. 418,976. Patented Jan. 7, 1890.

WITNESSES:

N4 PETERS. Phalo-Limo ra hsn wuhinghn, D. (1

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY IV. FARLEY, OF URBANA, ILLINOIS.

BQOT-JAC K.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 418,976, dated January '7, 1890.

Application filed October 12, 1889. Serial No. 326,844. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY W. FARLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Urbana, in the county of Ohampaign and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Boot-Jacks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention in the boot-jack adapts it for use with boots and with rubber shoes and for different sizes of boot-heels; and my improve ment consists of the particular matters which are pointed out in the claims concluding this specification.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 represents a view in perspective of my improved boot-jack. Fig. 2 is a side view showing the jack provided with a separate foot-rest. Fig. 3 shows the jack turned upside down for use with rubber shoes. Fig. 4c shows the perforated prop with its holes at different distances apart. Fig. 5 shows the separate jawforming arms packed together on their fiat sides, and Fig. 6 shows the doubled jawforming rod.

The prop a is preferably made of an oblong square block of wood, with two holes or perforations b in it at or near each of its longest edges, each set standing obliquely to each other outward toward the front, and one set being wider apart than the other in a horizontal plane. The jaw-forming arms may be made of two separate and distinct arms of wood or of a single doubled rod, as shown, for insertion into the flaring holes in the prop, so as to form the flaring jaws at the front side of the block-prop near its edge, the holes at one edge being arranged ata greater distance apart than the holes at the other edge to suit different sizes of heels.

WVhen the jaw-forming arms are made of separate pieces of wood, the jaw-fingers c are turned upon one end and terminate in a shoulder d, which forms a stop to limit the insertion of the finger into the hole in the prop. From the shoulders the arms care enlarged and are of sufficient length to form a foot-rest back of the prop, and for this purpose they are preferably made fiat on their upper sides. These arms stand obliquely toward each other, so that their ends may come together. While the fingers are preferably made tapering, I prefer to make their bearing parts f next the shoulder not tapering, so as to more firmly bind in the holes in the prop, and this hearing part may be a little larger than the tapering finger part for increased strength. Vhen the doubled metallic rod is used, its disconnected ends are inserted through oneor the other sets of holes in the prop a sufiicient distance to form the the jaws, and their flaring relation and the spring function of their connected ends serveto bind them within the holes of the prop.

A separate foot-rest piece 9 may be attached to the top of the prop and rest upon the arms. The prop is also provided with a central hole h, which may be used to receive the heel projection of a rubber shoe, so as to re move the latter without touching it with the hands. It may be flaring and it may be metallined. A recess or a suitable projection in the side of the prop will answer the same purpose as the hole, and when using the jack for this purpose it is turned upside down,and so held by placing the foot upon the arms.

The jack is held upon the floor by placing one foot upon the arm parts and drawing the boot-heel in between the jaws, which thus serve to clamp and to hold it while the foot is being drawn from the boot.

The tapering form of the wooden fingers gives them a certain degree of elasticity in their clamping action upon the boot-heel.

While I prefer to make the binding parts of the fingers round and non-tapering, they may be made of oval or other form in crosssection at the binding parts to prevent them from turning in the holes, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4:.

I claim as my improvement- 1. In a boot-jack, the combination, with a rectangular prop-block having a hole at or near each corner, the holes near one horizon-- tal edge being placed at a greater distance apart than those of the other edge and both sets diverging toward the forward face of said block, of two rods, each having a finger terminating in a shoulder, and an enlarged arm part extending from said shoulder, whereby the block may be reversed in position and the rods used in either set of holes for forming the heel-receiving jaws, substantially as described.

2L A boot-jack consisting of a prop-block In testimony whereof I have hereunto set having a hole at or near each corner, one set my hand in the presence of two subscribing placed horizontally nearer together than the witnesses. other set and diverging toward the forward 5 face of said block, the latter having also a HENRY XV. FARLEY.

centrally-placed hole and two jaw-forming rods inserted in one set of said holes, whereby Witnesses: the jack may be used with the jaws or re- 1V.[. LINDLEY, versed in position to be used with the cen- M. S. PARKS.

1o tral opening, as shown and described. 

